Let Us Remember

Let us remember

The brave souls who knowingly

gave their lives to save others.

Let us remember

The strong people who bravely

prevented Flight 93 from attacking Washington.

Let us remember

The beautiful faces of those

whose lives were torn away.

Let us remember

The love and compassion they showed us

and return it in kind.

Let us remember

That day, ten years ago,

when lives were lost and hearts were shattered.

Let us take a moment, please,

and remember.

Skydiving

On the edge

Flying higher, higher

soaring through the sky

past innumerable memories.

The air thins -

the doors open, beckoning.

Look, nod.
Maybe it's scary;

but it's definitely worth it.

And besides,

we've got nothing left to do, to lose

so we jump.

Vow

I will support you

in everything that you feel.

I will show you

to learn from every mistake.

I will teach you

to see the world, in all it's grandeur and beauty.

I will always be there for you.

Keep You Safe

You hear the voices calling

I know it's not your time

You say you want to leave this world

but to leave would be a crime.

I want to wrap you up inside

Try to keep you safe

because allowed to roam yourself

your life will go to waste.

I think of all the choices -

decisions, things you'll do

The gorgeous, happy options

if you'll only start anew.

Stop looking at the negative

Quit pushing me away

Because no matter what you do

You know, for sure, I'll stay.

Don't dump the water out

Keep the glass half full

If you let me help you out,

I bet you'll keep your soul.

Disney

Dedicated to Claire C.

Disney. Where fairytales are life, the bad guys get what they deserve, and the beautiful couples lives happily ever after. Where Cinderella escapes her wicked stepmother, and Ariel gets to walk on land. Where there's a prince for every princess.

Today's society pitches itself around these beautiful fairytales. Children grow up listening to happily ever after stories while their parents scream and fight in the other room. They watch movies where the bad guy is murdered, and they cheer, but a couple doors down, a child just few years their senior is being raped.

Why are we sucked into this heterosexual idealistic world where everyone finds true love? Where life is fair? Why does this falsified world appeal to us when we know our own world is so absolutely flawed?

It's because human beings are naturally good, and hopeful. We want the world to be a Disneyland, where everything is fair and safe, and love is conditional. No Disney princess has been dumped, and no Disney prince has pursued another man. Even Disney has flaws.

It's not that an improved, real-life DisneyWorld is impossible. It's simply that you cannot sit around and hope for the world to turn to Disney. You have to get out there and make it happen.

You have to build your own, personal Disneyland.

It takes risks and heartbreak, and justice is not always taken upon those who deserve it. But you can find your own prince or princess. You can find unconditional love and live happily ever after.

So don't wait for Disney. Go create it.

Differences

From 2009.

Everyone is different. We all have the same basic mold - head, torso, legs, arms - but we aren't meant to be the same. Our colors, our shapes, and our preferences vary, as they should. I cannot be you and you cannot be me. That's how it's supposed to be.

This piece is meant to express our differences by playing on many of our senses: the texture of each yarn and paint is different, as are their colors. The one thing they have in common is that they are yarn. Likewise, we are all people and that is the only true characteristic we have in common. Some people are tall, others short; one's color is red, while another's is purple; many being are fuzzy, though just as many are strong and bold. There are many levels of differences, and people can draw similarities wherever they wish. However, when you really get down to it, the only thing we all have in common is our species.

Pebble

In each and every smile

In each and every soul

There is a shining pebble

Small, but bright as gold.

Empty Space

There's this empty space

beside me in bed

where you should be

resting your head.

Everything in the world

reminds me of you

when I was my hair

with your same shampoo -

when I'm folding laundry

and I feel you there -

with your arms wrapped around me,

knowing you care.

There's this empty space

beside me in bed

and I expect you with me

but am alone instead.

Good Times

The natural lights are dimming

The sun sets, and street-lamps illuminate the darkness which

begins to consume the city though the

garish brilliance of artificial lights attempt to

hide it. This is the worst time of day, without

the light to catch them, thoughts

drift away into darkness, bouncing

back, reminding. It’s my canvas, paper, pen –

It absorbs my words, writes them

But then, when it reads them back,

I’m stuck. Stuck in those days when we happily

walked downtown; when we slept

side-by-side; when we smiled and held hands.

It reminds me of all the good times.

Darkness envelopes me, but the envelope

is already too full of the good times

You left me alone with.

Ask

Ask me who I look like

Ask me what I stand for

Moreover, ask me who I love -

The boy who makes my heart soar.

Ask me who I love

Ask who broke my heart

Moreover, ask me how I feel -

Broken, torn apart.

Ask me who I've slept with

Ask me who I've kissed

Moreover, ask who stole my heart -

The only soul I miss.

Ask me what I dream of

Ask why I can't sleep

Moreover, ask who isn't there

when I awake from counting sheep.

Ask him if he thinks of me

Ask him to come home

Moreover, ask him to fix my heart -

Where his name's engraved in stone.

I'll Always Be Here

I'll always be here

when you turn around,

when you think.

I'll always be here.

I'll always be here

when you're sad

and you need to cry.

I'll always be here.

I'll always be here

in the back of your head

nagging, trusting, loving.

I'll always be here.

I'll always be here

when you can't stand up

when you need help.

I'll always be here.

I'll always be here

in the middle of the night

when you can't sleep.

I'll always be here.

I'll always be here

when something ridiculous happens

and you need to tell someone.

I'll always be here.

I'll always be here

wherever you want me

whenever you want me.

I'll always be here.

Rose

From 2008.
Inspired by William Blake's "Sick Rose."


Young, it begins to grow
And soon
It blooms; really slow.
The rose bud blooms
And happily
The sunlight is consumed.
The petals turn brown
And sadly
Fall to the ground.
The wind blows and the petals fly
And slowly...slowly
The rose dies.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

From 2006.



April showers bring May flowers
The sun comes out in June
In July, it gets so hot it, it tends to make you swoon.
August comes to roast the world
September starts to cool
In October, we dress up, and tend to make a fool.
November is the Turkey Day
December’s filled with snow
January starts the New Year
February is love-full.
March is filled with endless hours…
And April showers bring May flowers.

Gecko

From 2006.


Today a gecko ran across Mom's feet
Otter thought it'd make a nice treat.
He chased it with all his might,
but - oh! - the gecko gave Mom a fright.
She screamed for Papa
And I came,
"Emergency!" she screamed and screamed.
I went for Papa,
"I said, "Come quick!
Mom is having quite a fit!
There's a gecko on your shower floor
Mom's convinced there's thousands more!"